Automobile brake signal



Aug. 3, 1948. R O

AUTOMOBILE BRAKE S IGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7, 1947 7'0 EMERGENC v BRAKES Aug. 3, 1948. F. R. GOOD 2,446,276

AUTOMOBILE BRAKE SIGNAL Filed June 7, 1947 I 2 sheets sheet 2 Hllllllll Patented Aug. 3, 1948 UNITED A AUTOMOBILE BRAKE SIGNAL. Francis R. Good,'Long Beach, Calif. 7

Application June,7, 1947, Serial No. 753,209

'1 Claim."(l. 177-311) p This invention relates to signaling systems and I more particularly to systems for use in connection with automobiles for automatically indicating to the driver the unintended application of the emergency or hand brake at a time when said brake should be fully released, such as just prior to shifting the clutch to its engaged position.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple, easily installed, inexpensive and positively acting unitary switch mechanism which will automatically function upon application of the emergency brake and give a suitable indication to warn the driver that the brakes are applied when he turns on the ignition current preparatory to starting the vehicle and such warning signal will continue until the emergenc brake has been released; thus avoiding undue wear of brake lining, loss of power, strain upon the motor and inefficient use of fuel, all of which occur when the vehicle is operated without releasing the hand or emergency brake.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unitary device for signaling the status of the emergency brake, that may be readily and quickly installed upon the dash panel of the automobile without recourse to drillin or otherwise providing holes or other means upon the dash panel for itsattachment.

A further object of this invention is to provide a signaling device and system for operation which will not in any way interfere with the normal use of the controlling mechanism of the vehicle.

The simple feature of installation, requiring no drilling or other manipulation of the dash panel upon which this device may be installed, is considered to be of utmost importance in connection with its general application by car owners the majority of whom have not the required tools fordrilling or otherwise manipulating metal for installing devices that require permanent bolting or similar attachment. In fact the general adoption and use of this device would be considerably mitigated if the vehicle owner found it necessary to employ a mechanic, resort to a drilling operation himself, or to have to take his automobile to a shop for installation of the signal device, therefore the portability of this device whereby it may be readily attached by anyone without recourse to the use of drills, punches, or similar tools, is an important object of the invention,

Further objects of invention reside in the construction, arrangement, adjustability and operation of the various parts including their association in the electrical system.

,7 These and other objects and features of inven- 21 tion will appear more .fully from the accompanying description, the appended claim, and the drawings-in which; r

Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of the complete device as attached to the underside of an automobile dash panel and in contact with the handle of the emergencyorhandbrake,

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure l, s Figure 3 shows the electrical system -ofthe automobile to which the device may be connected, Figure 4 is a sectional elevationtaken along line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a view of the signal light and bracket as seen by the vehicle operator, l

Figure 6 is a view of the dash panel and emergency brake withthesignal device as seen by the vehicle operator; ii I Figure This a side elevation of a modification ofthesignal device, r. Figure lads a plan view of'the brake lever and levercontact plate ofFigure 7., U Figure 8 is, a bottom view of the modifiedde-v viceof- Figure7, i .f V Figure 9 is a frontelevation, partly in section, of thecontact lever or bar andclamp; of ,the modified device, ,l t Figure 10 shows a side elevation of the clamp and signal bracket extension, and f I Figure 11 is a side elevation of the signal light and supportingbracket. v I In Figure 1 a clamp Ill suitablyshaped to em: brace the lower inside edge of an automobile dash panel II is provided with a thumb screw l2 easily accessible and readily operable without recourse to tools for drilling or otherwise ma nipulating or defacing the dash panel for attachmerit thereto. I H

Secured to the clamp Ill, in any suitable man: ner, is a bar l3 drilled and tapped at one ,end'to support a securing thumb-screw HLfor adjustably securing a signallight arm l5. The arm i5 is provided with a longitudinal slot I6. cooperating withthe thumb-screw [4 for suitabl posi-, tioning the signal lamp is adjacent the front of, the dash panel II where it maybe. readily seen by the operator of the vehicle. The signal light; may consist asshown of a casing I1 containing a suitable incandescent bulb and a lens or glass .c'over I8 of any suitable color such as, for example, red. The bulb is preferably of thetwo contact type and a'lead I9 is provided connected atone end to one of the bulb socket terminals and provided at its other end with a suitable lug i921 for connection'to the rimary terminal of or to the proper terminal of the ignition switch, so that a signal will be shown only while the ignition circuit is closed at the ignition switch.

At the extreme opposite end of bar I3 is secured a spring hook 2 la, cooperating with a, second spring hook or :post 2| between which a tension spring 22 is supported. Spring post 2| is secured to and moves with a slide bar 23 supported by means of overturned edgesiorlclips 24. inss1iding-engagement Withthemar l'3. j'

A recess is provided near the spring post end of bar I3 and filled with, or containing a Washer of, insulating material 25 (Figures 1, 2 and 4). A housing or casing 26 is secured to the underside of the bar 23 and arranged to contain a-shell .of insulating material 27 forming a central chamber in which are positioned compression -spring: 28, electrical contact 29, and screw 30. Av lead3l from the signal lamp L8 is attached to screw 30 by means of thumb-screw32 and, as shown in Figure lwith the emergency or ha'nd, brake- 33 in unapplied position; the bracket '3! having an elongated slot 35 is secured tobarfla by means of athum'b screw "24b and its upturned-end 34d inserted inthe brakecable U clamp" between the bra'ke'lever "33' and*-the end of the cable -'Figure 'Ia) ,=thuscontact 29 (Figure *1) lSDOSitlOIlBdyWith compression spring 28, against the insulating washer lls so -"that-the4sircuit to'the signal lamp id-is broken at this point until the hand-brake lever $3 "is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow to apply the brakes at'which time bar fl will slide along bar l3 extend tension spring 22 and permit contact29' to slide oil the insulating washer 2-5 and onto the bar t3 7 closing *thesignal circuit through the das'h grounded clamp-l [band screw l2. The sliding action of electrical contact '28-"on bar13 serves -to-keep the contact surfaces clean thus assuring a good electrical conneetion.

Inasmuch as insulating washer 25 need only have a diameter slightly greater than that of contact 2-9 is will be readilyunderstood thatthe slightest motion of the brake lever will cause the signal circuit'tobe closed and the contacts and associated "parts, when the handbrake 33 is applied, may assume the maximum on' signal position-shown-in*Figure--4.

The perpendicular extension 34w "(Figure '2) on the end-oi bracket *3! is provided at-its end-with an upturned portion 340! suitablydesignedito aocommodate varioustypes of -:brake levers :and-to, permit its insertion in "-the- U fitting between the brake lever "33 (Figure 76L) and the block or head on' the end 'of the brake-cable.

In will be seen thatupon'full release of-the h'and brakethe tension spring=2-2 wilireturn-the moving switch parts to normal open circuit-positionand the signal light-will=-be "extinguished.

ln Figure 3e'wiring "system-as used 'on an automobile is shown where *the storage 1 battery 36" has one-terminal 3-| grounded to the frame of the automobile andthe other-terminal 38 connected to onetcontact of the ignition-lock switch "39;-th,e other-contactof t-he ignition switch is connected via lead-M to one'terminal '4l of-'-th-e spark coil primary. It is to this spark coil terminal H; or to the'lgnition switch terminal ito'which lead 40 is connected, that theleaddfi 'from signal lamp I'8"-may also lie connected. The signalilam circuit being otherwise-completedthrough'the frame of the automobile. The balance ofthe system shown-in Figure Bis conventional andfincludes thesparkcoil'fl, timer'contacts *43,ftimer cam #14, distributor fi andspark plug 46,.

It will *bereadily seen "that when the device'is .and the signal lamp l8 to be illuminated. Current for operating the signal lamp may be obtained by connecting the lug Illa either to the primary terminal -.of the spark coil as shown in Figure 3, or to the proper terminal of the ignition lock switch, sothat-the signal lamp l8 will only operateif the ignition switch 39 is in the on position preparatory to starting. The balance of the circuit is completed through the clamp ill to the grounded dash panel-H back to the grounded terminal '3'!- of the-storage battery. Thus, it will be readily understood-thatnotools are necessary in 'making the installation as thumb screws have been provided where necessary.

*In Figure 7 isshown a, modificationof' the device attached to dash panel H a by means of'clamp Illa and thumb screw l-2a. In this modification a lever or bar 23ais pivotally mountedforrotation on clam Illa-by means of pivot pin 47 (Figure 8'), spacer= l8 and lock-nuts and 50. A plate'lil of insulating material attached to the bottom of clamp bracket la is provided with an arcuate slot in which-is positioned -a flush'contact plate 52 extending only part way longitudinally across the insulating plate 55!; A screw 53 is provided atone end of contact plate 52 for securing the lug E inor-lead -31 from the signal lamp l8. Suitably positioned inadepression in one end of pivotlever 2Ga-is-a compression spring 54 which forcesacontact .55 against the bottom of insulating plate 5| and;-when the lever 23a is moved to suitable position, causes the contact 55 to slidably ride on the contact plate 232, thus closing the electrical circuit. :A spring 5'5 coiled around pivot nut '49 and having one of its ends embracing the lever 23a and its opposite endsecured to pin 51 in clamp bracket lfia serves to retain the lever "23a in ofi" contact position until-forcedin the opposite direction bythe brake lever "83a tothe' on position as-indicated 'by thearrows-in Figures 7 and 8. An adjustable extension arm Bib provided with an elongated slot 58 cooperating with a similar slot 59-inlever23a, isthus arranged to be secured by means of thumb nut Main suitable position so that the brake lever or handle 33a contacts its arcuate surface 34-0 when-applied and thus causes the contact 55 Tto' be slidacross the insulating plate "5! and onto the contact plate 52 to close thegcircuit andactuate the signal 18. An extension arm 13a (Figures 8, 10 and 11) containing a longitudinal slot 'lSb permits suitable support of the signal'bracket 15a by means of thumb nut Ma.

Application of the emergency or hand brakes is accomplished by moving the handle 33a (Figure 7) in the direction indicated by thearrow. The handle"33a is pivotally mounted in bracket 60 and connects with the brakes'by'means of cablefil.

The device .herein described may be manufactured as an accessory unit to be temporarily installed on the dash 'panel of' an otherwise assembled vehicle and readily Iremovedand transferred, when desired; to another vehicle without recourse to alterations or defacements such as drilling and the like, or other changes in the vehicle upon which it is installed.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in this invention Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in theappended claim.

What is claimed is:

An emergency brake signal unit for an automobile, comprising a. bracket having a pressure clamp and a thumb screw intermediate its ends for securing said bracket substantially parallel with and to the underside of the dash panel of the vehicle, said bracket provided at one end with a moveable bar, a wiping electrical contact adapted to be actuated by said bar and normally at rest on an insulating member, an extension on one end of said bar adapted to contact the emergency brake handle of the vehicle and to cause said electrical contact to actuate an electrical circuit when the emergency brake is operated, and an arm on the other end of said bracket extending upwardly substantially parallel with the front face of the dash panel and provided with a signal lamp operable upon actuation of said electrical circuit.

FRANCIS Rt GOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

